Charlotte home and Democrat., 1887-06-24
The Polar Bear.

Sustenance of life forms the chief care
of the Innuit race of Alaska, the struggle
to obtain food supply is the one absorb
ing thought throughout the entire cycle
of their existence. Nature seems to have
provided certain animals peculiarly adapt
ed to the hyperborean region, aud emf
nentiy fitted to afford sustenance to the
race who have to Withstand the exigencies
and severe climatic changes of an arctic
zone. The principal animals inhabiting
the waters of Northwestern Alaska are
the various members of the seal family.
Seal meat as cooked by the natives is of .
dirty brick.red tint, owing to the fact
that when killed the seal is simply
skinned, the blood remaining in the car
cass, acting as coloring mstter to the
meat. To unaccustomed stomachs seal
meat is unpaiatable, its taste resembling
fish more than flesh, while the oily odor
is of course prevalent. But if, when new
ly caught, q seal is bled and the flesh al
lowed to soak for few hours, the meat,
either fried or baked, becomes palstable.
When frozen there is scarcely any flavor
perceptible in the meat. Ursats Anaeri-
cGnus, or the white polar bear, is also
food-supplier for the Innuits. The extent
of Bruins travels in the arctic region
are far and wide. Observations by Capt.
Healy, of the United States Revenue Ma
rine, prove the fact that the polar bears
Southern limit of range is St. Matthew's
Island-60 deg. so min. north latitude
in the Behring Sea. I believe that q few
of these bears were seen some years ago
near the Seal Islands. Probably the sea-
son was late one, and they were seen
upon large foe drifting. At st. Mat
thews the polar bears have lairs and dens
among the rocky glens that diversity that
island. There, it is presumed, the young
bears are born. or at least q proportion of
the cubs. The Point Belcher natives told
me that in December, when the sun goes
away entirely, that she bears make q snow
house out upon the sea ice, and there give
birth to their young. There is some evil
dence of the truth of this statement, as it
is a rare thing to obtain the skin. of q
female bear shot during the winter. The
Ursus Anaericanats feeds upon seal and
walrus and dead drift whales; although
disdaining to devour the blubber, the flesh
is greedily consumed. A carcass upon
which bear has passed bis gastronomic
judgment reveals the skin and fatty lining
torn asunder, while the flesh is cut up into
strips and shreds by the powerful claws
and teeth. One single blow of bears
claw alighting upon a seals head suficies
to kill him, and dragged upon the ice, a
meal is coon dispatched. The largest
white bear ever saw was shot in No
vember, 1885. His measurements were
twelve feet two inches from tip of tail to
nose, six feet three inches girth. fifteen
, inches across from ear to ear, and seven
inch sdull, while the track of his paws
measured eleven and one-half inches.
Generally the average measurement is
eight feet in length. In summer the hairy
coat of the polar bear turns to q dingy
( yellow, and it's pelt then becomes useless.
These bears are arrant towards, and will
not attack any one unless there are two
or three in company. As soon as they
scent man approaching they run away
as fast as they can. There are but few
records of bear killing any native along
! the Northwestern coast. The Innuits are
very partial to white-bear meat, but the
blubber they reject; and even the dogs,
unless they are very hungry, turn up their
noses at the oily mass. 1t is almost an
impossibility to obtain an entire skin oi
any kind of bear. The Innuits through.
! out the Territory cut off the head and
claws, and either throw them into the
sea or running water, or else bury them in
6 the ground. This is done to enable the
! hunter to kill more bears, and the idea il
that if the other bears see the heads OIL
claws of their dead friends they will leave
: the district. Brown bears frequent the
mountainous regions of the arctic coast
J They follow the herds of deer in their
summer migrations, but are seldom seer
> in the winter, that season being the hiber
! mating period. Their pelts are disposed
! of to traders and whalers.